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ONLINE GAMES OFFER MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT

As the holidays approach, entertainment software makes a perfect gift for the computer people in your life. And this season's offerings include some of the most technologically advanced games ever seen. But instead of pointing out some of the hottest new titles, I thought it might prove more interesting to point out what a lot of them have in common. Many of the newest generation games allow you to play an opponent over a phone connection. And after trying some of them out, I have to admit it. Playing a computer game against a live human being is a lot more satisfying than playing against the computer.

When it comes to playing online, most of the games you buy in a box offer only a one-on-one playing ability. Your computer calls someone else's computer and you have at it. That's ok for two player games like chess and backgammon. But the real thrill begins when you enter the world of multi-player games. And the way to enter realms with numerous players ready to play at a moments notice is on the Internet or via a proprietary networks such as America Online.

One Internet site to offer a nice selection of board, card, casino and arcade games is pogo.com. All of pogo.com's games work on both PC and Macintosh computers; its only requirement is that your computer be using a Java enabled browser. And since most of today's modern browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape use Java, you're already set to play. No special software or plug-ins are required for game play on pogo.com. Another advantage to pogo.com over games you buy is that it's free. The site makes its money via unobtrusive ad banners. And since it's free, the online casino games are totally legal and you can even win prizes and cash on the site.

Related to the multiplayer environment is the sense of community that comes from people playing together. Throughout pogo.com's site is the ability to chat before, during and after you play. Chat rooms are an ideal way to first find opponents and collaborators. You can either create your own game room or look for others waiting for you to virtually sit down at a table and join them in a game of whatever. If you are the one creating a game session, you can choose to customize the game by deciding what rules will and will not be applicable. For example, you might elect to omit the doubling cube in a backgammon game. Potential opponents can see what you're offering and either accept the rules or chat with you and request you make changes.

During pogo.com's appearance on my show, I was amazed at how many callers who frequent pogo.com said they play out of convenience. After all, it can be hard to get a foursome together for a Bridge game, let alone finding others who are equally skilled. Other reasons ranged from infirmity to not having a Bingo parlor available within a hundred miles.

Another important feature of pogo.com is its ability to rank players according to how long they've played and they're winning performance. When viewing player rankings, you can be assured it's not been padded and is an accurate reflection of their playing abilities.

Currently, pogo.com offers around 40 game titles including some that are exclusive to pogo.com. Many more are scheduled for release by the holidays. So if you're ready to play some games but don't have much to spend, free online multiplayer gaming just might be the next best thing under the tree.

www.pogo.com